Work-life balance – what the bloody hell does that actually mean? Let’s talk about it in simpler terms. I’ve always struggled with this idea because life isn’t as straightforward as balancing two things on a scale. In reality, our lives are not a straight line, even without considering work. Life is more complex than just finding an equilibrium between two things. Let’s break it down and figure out what it means for each of us.
Balancing Act
When we say work-life balance, some think it means having a perfect schedule – starting and stopping at specific times, creating a clear boundary before enjoying personal life afterwards. But in reality, life throws unexpected stuff at us. It’s more like a tricky dance than a perfect scale. Dealing with work-life balance is finding what works best for you. While it may mean that you don’t have exact start and stop times for your tasks, it means that you feel comfortable in your routine without compromising your well-being.
Setting Priorities
Sometimes, you end up doing more at work than planned, and then you have to go back to the important things you initially set out to do. Instead of stressing about perfect balance, let’s figure out what’s really important. Identify what matters most at work and in your personal life and know what should come first. Setting some things at work aside to deal with your personal life and vice versa doesn’t mean you’ve lost balance—you just identified what’s most important. No one ever, on their deathbed ever said “I wish I’d stayed at work longer rather than spending the time with friends or family.”
Forget Multitasking
Doing many things at once may seem cool, but research shows it’s not as great as we think. Being fully present in one thing at a time is way better. It’s like giving your full attention to a work task when you’re working and doing the same at home. By focusing on one thing at a time, we avoid not only making errors but we can also get things done more efficiently.
Tools for Getting Back on Track
We all need tools to help us stay balanced. The LeadingME® idea helps us take charge and return to a balanced state when things feel out of control. Recognising when we’re leaning too much one way allows us to use tools like meditation or LeadingME® tools.
Understanding the Ego
We don’t have a choice but to work with ego and we need our ego. Think of the ego as either mastering you or you mastering the ego. By understanding and guiding our ego, we can avoid extremes of ‘Bigging’ ourselves, others or things or ‘Belittling’ ourselves, others or things, and instead find a middle ground of LeadingME® that feels good. Try and take a look at your own situation from a different perspective because this allows you to guide your ego to that middle ground.
Make Balance Your Own
Work-life balance isn’t the same for everyone. Instead of fitting into someone else’s idea, figure out what works for you. Talk to the people around you about your needs and priorities and also theirs. This way, everyone understands and supports each other.
Wrap-Up
As we take a moment to think, let’s simplify work-life balance. Instead of chasing a perfect balance, let’s focus on what makes sense and works best for us and those around us. Being present, setting priorities, setting boundaries, and using simple tools to help us create a balanced and meaningful life. LeadingME® with intention makes the journey more enjoyable and true to who we are. Find the middle ground that works well for you and helps you stay on your path without going astray.
Stay True, Stay You, and Keep Bringing Out Your Brilliance!
